The RANT thread (often contains fruity language)

[Regulator]

All change!

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has reversed a decision to close its self-assessment telephone helpline for half of the year.

The tax authority announced on Tuesday that the line would be closed between April and September, with taxpayers directed to online services instead.

But less than a day later it said the phone line would stay open this summer.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68616330

I reckon someone from HMRC reads YACF and didn't fancy dealing with a ranting Beardy...

[barakta]

Friend waited 45 mins to get an answer from HMRC helpline this morning, her tax code is wrong and apparently she's supposed to submit anyway and hope HMRC actually fix it like asked. Fucking jokers the lot of them.

[Beardy]

I gave in and rang them. After wadding through the messages telling me it’ll be faster to look up an answer on line (why do you think I’m ringing you, muppets) and fighting with the voice recognition system, it eventually agreed to put me in the (longer than usual) queueueue. THEN it decided it was broken told me so politely and said goodbye.

I’d not be in this mess if I’d not registered for a business tax account in November 2019. The business didn’t go anywhere. My P45 shows less than my final payslip because of redundancy payments calefudgery. I then received two further payments from BT in subsequent FYs, which were taxed at the higher rate. I had no other income and no P60s from BT, but becuase I tried to set up a small business they now want tax returns which I can’t fill in because I’ve no P60s. And because I’ve been paying PAYE on the lump payments and the pension I later stated taking, I didn’t think I needed to,complete tax returns. But theyve decided to fine me anyway. And I can’t get in touch with them because a) they’re very busy, and b)their phone system things it’s broken.

BASTARDS.

[barakta]

I suspect the phoneline is less utterly-fucked in the earlier morning than the evening. I hate how public bodies (Charity Commission I'm cursing you!) let people wait then hang up or close lines early which is what Chazzer Commission did to us. I still need to send them a complaint.

[mrcharly-YHT]

BT HAVE to provide P60s and these are really important to keep.

It is only because I had P60/p45 that I was able to get my NI contribution record fixed (bastard ex employers had been deducting from salary, but not passing on to HMRC).

[Mrs Pingu]

Get asked to verify my id by the solicitors for mum's estate.

Instructions tell me to take a photo of my id doc and then a video of my face and that I can use a tablet, smartphone or computer (or a combination).
Start with smartphone, take pics of driving licence, click upload, fails due to some grumble about memory.
Email photos to laptop. Resume using (closed) laptop with webcam attached. Photos uploaded. Video requested, but of course it won't speak to my webcam and there seems to be no means for me to force it to do so.

Ok, I i think, it was clever enough to save the rest of the process when I swapped devices the first time, maybe I can go back to my phone and use it to video my face.
Ha, don't be silly, seems the photo and the video is all one section and it won't save the photos on their own.
Back to the laptop, undock it so that I can open the lid and use the built in camera. Finally!
Though I'm just waiting for them to say my face was too big or something....

I can't wait to hear how middle brother gets on, who isn't a habitual smartphone user and I'm not sure if his laptop has a camera....

I hate to think how real technophobes get on.

[TheLurker]

I hate to think how real technophobes get on.

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Solicitor? Allow me to introduce my referees; Messrs Bill, Slugger, Moran and Micky, Two Knives, Smith.  They're more than happy to verify I am who I say am.  I trust that will be satisfactory?  Nice office you've got here, must have cost quite a lot to decorate it so nicely...

[CAMRAMan]

Dear RICS Surveyor: how the fuck can you value my house at £30K more than a nearby one for sale with a better spec? Or £25K more than an identical one currently being sold three doors away? Normally I'd be ecstatic, but it's a shared ownership house, so, technically, it'll have to be listed at your valuation. Hopefully the housing association will see sense.

[cycleman]

I have just found out that apollos social worker has left without sorting the money supply problem from apollos trust fund held by Slough Council and the care says that apollo doesn't need a social worker and seem reluctant to ask for one. Despite being notified of the cotswolds camping trip plans in December last year the request for the fund's have not yet been approved and so it is looking like I will have to cancel the camping weekend. Now I am told that the care home has spoken to the council about apollos trust fund but where told they just had to wait which they have just quietly accepted. I have asked them for a number for the relevant council department but I suspect that I will just get the same brush off. The trust fund money is apollos and should be used for his benefit. I AM SERIOUSLY STRESSED 😐

[barakta]

Tell the council that Apollo will be eligible for legal aid and you won't hesitate to seek legal advice on his behalf (and demand costs) if they don't get a grip and sort this ASAP. I think you have to take no crap at all times with the way services are.

I am sorry, that's really unfair and not acceptable.

[cycleman]

As soon as I get the contact details I will definitely chase them. Many thanks barakta. Conservative council 🙄

[Cudzoziemiec]

In what world does Apollo not need a social worker? Strange indeed.

[ElyDave]

Speaking of which, buses.
Waited for a bus which didn't come this morning. It's no wonder the general populace drive everywhere.

There is a train which allegedly goes from London Liverpoo Street to ely at 1707. I've stopped bothering to try and catch that one because I've never actually seen it in real life. And not being arsed to wader over to KC, I now end up on the 1807, which at least exists, and is generally not too crowded.

[matthew]

In what world does Apollo not need a social worker? Strange indeed.

One in which the council is bankrupt and desperately trying to cut costs. Also one in which Apollo is unlikely to be able to stand up for himself to ask for one, so with drawing this service may not get much push back unless cycleman is able to.

[ElyDave]

We are currently going through same shit different local authority - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7189160033471901696/

Secret meetings?  No, of course not they're "professionals meetings" and we always inform you of the outcome.

Well, let's show you your own lie - through subject access request under FOI Act, we have a heavily redacted minutes of meeting held in January, at which the local authority threatened our care company and predecided the outcome of a care planning meeting with us later that month, even going so far as to say "any resistance to this from mum should be documented". When did you inform us of that "professionals meeting"?

This was then used to ambush us at the actual meeting, unfortunately all the care they were trying to remove is fully endorsed/mandated by medical professionals.  They just don't care and are fundamentally both dishonest and stupid at the same time.